Enhancing Transparency in eBay Selling Fees

[spectrafinejewelry]

Selling items on eBay is subject to various fees, including listing,  ad, and transaction fees. These fees can sometimes be complex and challenging to track, especially when selling multiple items or dealing with various promotional offers.

By providing a clear summary that calculates the net amount after deducting all fees, eBay would make it much easier for sellers to understand precisely how much they will earn from a sale. This summary would break down the total revenue earned from the sale and then subtract all applicable fees, giving the seller a transparent view of their earnings.

Having this information upfront would allow sellers to make more informed decisions before accepting offers or setting prices for their items. It would also help sellers better manage their finances and plan future sales strategies.

Implementing such a feature would enhance transparency and convenience for sellers on the eBay platform, ultimately improving their selling experience.

[theteamsetguy]

@spectrafinejewelry ,

I believe eBay does this during the listing process. 

By the way you have some beautiful blue sapphire items.  

[spectrafinejewelry]

They don't have that feature. On 1stdibs, when a customer makes an offer, they show you the net amount after the fees. 

Thank you! We have more sapphires in different carat weights if you're interested.

[powell-memorabilia]

I don’t disagree that an estimated funds for a sale would be helpful to some that don’t use excel, own a calculator, or have a reasonable comfort with math.  But eBay can’t get it right - there are fees on sales tax, which eBay doesn’t know ahead of time, nor do they know how much will be the actual postage costs.  They don’t know if promotional fees will be applied.

Regardless, eBay can’t know what your earnings would be - they don’t know what you paid for inventory and packing materials.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

Also, sometimes you have to do a little brain work of your own, rather than relying on a venue to do it for you.

Knowing what you can sell an item for profitably should be worked out when you buy said item.

[robbie31415]

Also to ad fees might not register at offer process.

There can be a delay for eBays system to be able to recognize if it's an ad sale.

As a seller you should be able to tell what you are gonna net.

[dhbookds]

There is an ebay fee calculator........

https://www.ebayfeescalculator.com/usa-ebay-calculator/

but understand that because the fees are based on item price.........plus shipping cost and taxes......it can't be accurately figured before the item is sold.........

[isaiah53-57]

@spectrafinejewelry

Sadly, and in my opinion, keeping you guessing at what your fees are is right where they want you - If many sellers knew EXACTLY what their fees would be in FVF's and Promotional Fees as a percentage of the entire transaction?, they would reduce or stop promotions or pack up shop entirely - This board is full of posts from longtime sellers who were not aware that the site charges fees on shipping and/or sales taxes - My guess is that has always been part of the plan...

Whats even worse than people not accounting their fees properly?...Well that would be people not accounting for their time properly - If people logged their time involved with all the different aspects of selling here correctly, right down to the minute, my guess is there would be a mass exodus of a large group of people shuttering shop that finally discovered they were making $3, $5, or $7 an hour selling here before taxes.

[luckythewinner]

By providing a clear summary that calculates the net amount after deducting all fees

That is not possible since some of the factors affecting fees (ad fees, international fees, shipping cost, sales tax, Below Standard, discounts, coupons, offers, etc.)  are not always known at listing time.

[chapeau-noir]

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@isaiah53-57 wrote:

@spectrafinejewelry

Sadly, and in my opinion, keeping you guessing at what your fees are is right where they want you - If many sellers knew EXACTLY what their fees would be in FVF's and Promotional Fees as a percentage of the entire transaction?, they would reduce or stop promotions or pack up shop entirely - This board is full of posts from longtime sellers who were not aware that the site charges fees on shipping and/or sales taxes - My guess is that has always been part of the plan...

Whats even worse than people not accounting their fees properly?...Well that would be people not accounting for their time properly - If people logged their time involved with all the different aspects of selling here correctly, right down to the minute, my guess is there would be a mass exodus of a large group of people shuttering shop that finally discovered they were making $3, $5, or $7 an hour selling here before taxes.

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I don't think there is any 'plan' to keep sellers in the dark about fees - sellers keep themselves in the dark well enough.

[kensgiftshop]

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@isaiah53-57 wrote:

If people logged their time involved with all the different aspects of selling here correctly, right down to the minute, my guess is there would be a mass exodus of a large group of people shuttering shop that finally discovered they were making $3, $5, or $7 an hour selling here before taxes.

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Then there are sellers like me, that doesn't care about that.

I mainly did it to have something to do, the money part was just extra.

My items don't cost me anything, so not out anything but a little time and since I became disabled, I have a lot of extra time.

[allthingssurplus]

eBay does not want to do that.  You would quickly see on small sales with free shipping eBay could be your 50% partner and and large 25% or higher.  Now many will come back and say FVF is 10-14% only.  Its always a math problem How much money did eBay put in their pocket and how much did the Seller put in theirs.  My number will be very close.  

[allthingssurplus]

One of the few people that understands the actual cost of selling on this platform.  You are correct and don't let anyone tell you different.  Keep in mind numbers don't lie people do.  Always ask yourself on any sale, how much did eBay put in their pocket and how much did I put in my pocket.  Its very clear if you do that one simple thing.  

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@allthingssurplus wrote:

eBay does not want to do that.  You would quickly see on small sales with free shipping eBay could be your 50% partner and and large 25% or higher.  Now many will come back and say FVF is 10-14% only.  Its always a math problem How much money did eBay put in their pocket and how much did the Seller put in theirs.  My number will be very close.  

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@allthingssurplus 

In the distant past when a seller clicked on their total sales for a period you got a break down between sales, shipping and a total. Then for some reason when tax got thrown into the mix they included it all together and showed the total including those numbers with a breakdown. From the majority of sellers perspective shipping AND tax are not profit. Only profit to eBay's bottom line. From a personal perspective the change made for "messy math".  Removing important information is not really any kind of an improvement. 

-Lotz

[allthingssurplus]

The last thing eBay wants to do is be transparent.  Small Seller's I don't think really keep track of net profit.  For me I have an $80k monthly overhead to deal with.  In order to survive I have cut eBay sales to 10% of gross.  If I were to be 100% on eBay I would go broke.  I am a prime example how eBay loses Gross Market Value Quarter over Quarter for the past 9 Quarters.  Next week will most likely will show eBay down another 5% GMV for the first Quarter when they post their financials.  It just not sustainable.